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Wipers stops in the midle using intermittent

10K views 12 replies 2 participants last post by  klutchmaster427 
#1 ·
Hello all,
I have problem with my 1978 Monte Carlo wiper system.
When switched on in intermittent the wipers make one turn and stop in the middle of windshield.
Other positions work correct.
What controls wiper motor stop position when intermittent is on?
I disassemble the washer pump and cleaned it.
May be I did not put something on the right place :confused:

Thanks for the help,
Ivo
 
#2 ·
That won't have anything to do with the pump. You can take the pump out of the car and the wipers will still run/park properly, you just won't get any wiper fluid! I found several forums where people had similar problems, none with a monte specifically, but similar problems nonetheless. Anyway, it seems like the majority of these problems were fixed by one of two things. 1) cleaning contacts on wiper relays, or 2) replacing the relays completely. A couple people also resolved the issue by replacing the wiper motor, but it appears as though that worked because in Ford vehicles, the control for the park position is apparently inside the wiper motor. Some people also said they had problems with the actual switch, but it seems to me that if it were a problem with the switch, intermittent mode would just not work period. I have an 86 chevy pickup, and my intermittent mode rarely works. hi/low work perfectly however. sometimes when I put it in int., it will do nothing, so i leave the switch in int. and then while I'm driving they will randomly start working. sometimes they don't ever come on, sometimes it works right from the start. I have had them occasionally stop in the middle of my windshield but it has happened both in int., and hi/low. We could just do what the Ford fans (id10ts?) would do and blame it on Chevy, or maybe try to fuss with the wiper relays a bit. I think the latter sounds like a feasible option. What do you think?? :)
 
#3 ·
Hi klutchmaster427,

I just started with the pump :D and disassemble it all :)
Actually I do not know if it worked correctly before my intervention :) I know that the wipers hardly moved :) I am restoring the car step by step.
About the suggested solutions, I cleaned everything very well so I may need to go directly to point 2... replace the relays. Unfortunately I am on the other end of the world and have no access to this relays here :(

So, I will definitely "fuss" with relays :D I just don't know where to start :)
There is one green relay in the pump housing and one thing connected to wires in the motor housing.
Isn't it the thing that controls where the motor should park?

Regards,
Ivo
 
#5 ·
yeah i understood your problem. my answer wasn't very clear. that "thing" should probably be your "park controller" (for lack a better term). try disconnecting that if you can, unless of course it's just soldered in, and clean those contacts.

you can get the relay from rockauto.com, assuming they'll ship to bulgaria.

1978 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 3.3L 200cid V6 2BBL (M) : Electrical-Switch & Relay : Wiper Motor Relay
STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS Part # RY44

Price $5.37

There's no way to link directly to the part, due to the setup of their website, but here's how to get it.

go to rockauto.com
in the catalog, choose the year, then chevrolet, then monte carlo, then your engine, then go to "Electrical-Switch & Relay" then go to "Wiper Motor Relay". when you click it a box will pop up with the part info in it. there is a drop down menu at the bottom of that box. the one im looking at shows the regular part for 15.50 or the wholesale part for 5.37. same part, second one is discounted. get which one you want, install it, and voila! should hopefully work!
 
#6 ·
Hi klutchmaster427,

Thank you for the info.
Rockauto ships to Bulgaria, I buy parts from there regularly. :)
Until that part arrives, I will try to clean the one I have ;)
I have another question. Does the "park controller" control park position on HI and LOW or it is just for intermittent wiper?

Regards,
Ivo
 
#7 ·
That's a good question, actually. It seems logical to me that it would control both hi/low AND intermittent. It doesn't seem likely that they would have two separate controllers for the same function. according to how stuff works, there is some sort of circuit that detects when the blades are in "down" position and shuts off the motor at that point. It doesn't elaborate any further. for some reason the motor is either shutting off to early or too late. so lets say your wipers are running in intermittent right now. the blades are going up to the top, and now are just starting to come back down. turn the switch to off quickly while the blades are still coming down. do they stop right where they are or do they go all the way down and come back up a bit to stop in the middle? maybe finding out whether the motor is stopping too fast or too soon may help.
 
#10 ·
Hi klutchmaster427,

I made some videos :)
First one is without wiper arms attached:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amoJHGS7KFg

1. Mist
2. Intermittent
3. High
4. Low
5. Intermittent switched off during cycle.

You can see, it stops on the correct place when switched off and stops in the middle when on intermittent.
On the next video it is obvious ;)

The second one is with arms:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDLI0mPcRcs

Something stop it earlier but I don't know what is it. :)

Regards,
Ivo
 
#11 ·
whoa, thats strange. I though it was stopping in the middle when you actually turn it off from intermittent. i didnt realize it was catching between each stroke. it looks like something is either slipping or binding. but it seems like that should happen in all modes.

I found this on a website. maybe it might help a bit.

"The wiper circuit that controls (in this case that opens the ground circuit of the motor)the motor is staying closed to ground...it needs to be open when in delay mode...so that the delay circuit can control the opening and closing to ground. OR the delay circuit has an open circuit...burned up capacitor, relay, etc. Or it could be a stuck parking switch...which should open on in park mode...however the wipers would stay on until you turned off the wiper switch. Also, old cars up to 1980 or so...used ground type switches whereas new cars use powered switches and relays to latch the motor to ground. "
 
#12 ·
Hi klutchmaster427,

Thanks for the article. It would help me, I just have to discover the thing that disconnect earlier :)
I suspect were this could be found :)
I was busy this weekend, but I will get my hands on it soon.

Thanks for the help, I will report the progress :D

Regards,
Ivo
 
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